A number of new settlers was added, and the land of those who
had fallen in war was assigned to them. There was very great distress
that year in consequence of drought; there was not only a deficiency of
rain; but the earth also destitute of its natural moisture, scarcely
enabled the rivers to flow. In some places the want of water occasioned
heaps of cattle, which had died of thirst, around the springs and
rivulets which were dried up; others were carried off by the mange; and
the distempers spread by infection to the human subject, and first
assailed the husbandmen and slaves; soon after the city becomes filled
with them; and not only were men's bodies afflicted by the contagion,
but superstitions of various kinds, and most of them of foreign growth,
took possession of their minds; persons, to whom minds enslaved by
superstition were a source of gain, introducing by pretending to
divination new modes of sacrificing; until a sense of public shame now
reached the leading men of the state, seeing in all the streets and
chapels extraneous and unaccustomed ceremonies of expiation for the
purpose of obtaining the favour of the gods. A charge was then given to
the aediles, that they should see that no other than Roman gods should be
worshipped, nor in any other manner, save that of the country. Their
resentment against the Veientians was deferred till the following year,
Caius Servilius Ahala and Lucius Papirius Mugillanus being consuls. Then
also superstitious influences prevented the immediate declaration of war
or the armies being sent; they deemed it necessary that heralds should
be first sent to demand restitution. There had been battles fought
lately with the Veientians at Nomentum and Fidenae; and after that a
truce, not a peace, had been concluded; of which both the time had
expired and they had renewed hostilities before the expiration. Heralds
however were sent; and when, according to ancient usage, they were sworn
and demanded restitution, their application was not listened to. Then
arose a dispute whether a war should be declared by order of the people,
or whether a decree of the senate would be sufficient. The tribunes, by
threatening that they would stop the levy, so far prevailed that the
consuls should take the sense of the people concerning the war. All the
centuries voted for it. In this particular also the commons showed a
superiority by gaining this point, that consuls should not be elected
for the next ye